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Leina Godin Photos
Pirak Anurakyawachon

BANGKOK – Architecture is definitely winning at a game of hide and seek against the lush green trees in Bangkok. Mindful of the groups of large, existing trees, Stu/D/O opted for an architecture that truly ‘vanishes into nature’. Two main buildings connected by exterior walkways and platforms dance around the plot, cut away the built area to compensate in generous amounts of existing greenery, and use distinctive materiality to hide in plain sight.

The 2400 sq-m project consists of two main blocks connected by overpasses and exterior walkways and houses a gallery, recording and dance studios, restaurants and office spaces.

The priority was to maintain sufficient sunlight access to the growing trees in between the two-storey and four-storey blocks. The connecting circulation act like branches, intertwining around. Cantilevering blocks and supporting steel stilts mimic the trees, creating pockets of shading throughout the lot.

Intersecting planes of facades alternate reflective to transparent features. The architects use rhythmic folded patterns as well to ‘link the architecture to the surrounding urban context’. The facades aren’t just aesthetic as the architects opted for a translucent double facade system for the eastern facing fronts to help reduce over-heating and filter sunlight.

Reflective glass is used predominantly in the in-between spaces of the two blocks where trees and greenery are abound – creating an illusion of a dense tropical forest.